The present invention relates to decorative emblems and plaques which have a cured plastic layer deposited onto a decorative surface having an integral bezel and a method for making the same.
Decorative plaques and emblems are widely used throughout a number of industries, including the automotive and appliance fields. In the past, a colored vitreous frit was flowed into a bronze substrate and fired at 1250.degree. F. The glass-like vitreous enamel served to beautify the product and protect the decorative substrate from weathering should the plaque or emblem be exposed to the environment.
Today, plastics are primarily used for producing such plaques and emblems. For example, the assignee of the present invention has since 1966 produced an emblem having a molded or cast body into which plastic is deposited. A description of such products can be found in a July-August, 1972, duPont Magazine article.
Likewise, in Loew (U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,062), there is disclosed a process for injection molding a decorative Mylar facing sheet over a vinyl plastic body. The plaque is coated with a layer of protective varnish on the outer surface of the facing sheet. Gits, U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,066, is similar in that male and female molds are used to form a cavity into which a decorative foil is placed and into which a clear plastic material is injected. Prior to injecting a clear plastic material against the front face of the foil, the foil is precoated. Other molding processes, such as compression molding (either one or two shot), are also well known in the art. See for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,244,565; 2,931,119; 3,075,249; and 3,114,597.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,010, assigned to the same assignee, there is disclosed an improved process for producing decorative emblems. That process involves casting a plastic material onto decorative foil shapes to form a meniscus which when cured gives a lens effect to the top surface of the foil shape. A problem with that process is that the then capped substrate does not usually make up a complete decorative emblem. Normally, the capped substrate will be used as an insert to be placed inside a decorative bezel, which is most commonly a highly polished die casting, or plastic or plated plastic or some other decorative substance.
In such a process, it is thus necessary to decorate the substrate, emboss the decorated substrate, if desired, apply a pressure-sensitive adhesive to the back of the substrate, cast the plastic material onto the top surface of the substrate, and then insert that capped decorated substrate into a separately manufactured decorated bezel. As can be seen, this involves a large number of process steps, many requiring the work of skilled craftsmen.
Accordingly, the need exists for a more efficient method of forming an improved emblem which does not require separate bezel and insert formation.